SNP ministers will deliver fewer zero-carbon homes thanks to a “diluted” manifesto pledge, Scottish Labour warned today.

At the last Holyrood election, the SNP’s manifesto pledged to “build at least 50,000 more affordable homes” over the course of the next parliament.

But Scottish Labour warned that this plan had been “diluted” by Housing Minister Kevin Stewart, who wants to deliver 50,000 affordable homes, of which only “the vast majority” will be new-build.

Under this new plan, councils and housing associations will be allowed to buy existing stock such as right-to-buy properties to meet the target.

However, the zero-carbon homes plan applies only to new homes.

Scottish Labour’s spokeswoman for climate change and the environment Claudia Beamish said: “Scotland’s households account for around 15 per cent of total emissions, so it is vital the SNP government takes these warnings seriously.

“It is extremely important that in this climate emergency we in Scotland are at the forefront of tackling it.”

Ms Beamish said the SNP government must get the level of investing in reducing our emissions right and do it fast.

She said: “It is not acceptable that the manifesto pledge, which was welcome, has been scaled back.

“It is time now for the SNP to face up to the task ahead of all of us and make the changes needed to reduce Scotland’s emissions footprint.”

Environmental groups and Citizens Advice Scotland have called on ministers to double their investment in zero-carbon homes following a survey finding that 15 per cent of small businesses say they have not been able to implement measures to reduce their carbon footprint.